I have a '97 4.0 auto...

when I turn on my AC, it smells wet/moldy...doesnt really get cold...heat works ok but it isnt actualy heat...

what do you guys recommend?

what should I look at to see whats wrong?


I'll look in my Chilton Manual when I get home (at work right now) to see how the AC works and what kind of regular maintence it needs...but Im just trying to find out the issues before I start starrin' at my engine bay and tryin' to avoid scratchin' my ass while I try to think of the problem


I know nothing about AC units because I took it out in my last truck...but this summer (with a new truck) Ive decided its best to have AC instead of sweatin' my ass of in the AZ heat.

know of any websites to help fix my AC problems?

Does it work in max ac?

Since the heat is weak im thinking your blend door maybe stuck somewhere in the half way between hot and cold.

to be honest...I only tried using the AC when I bought the truck while I drove it home. Ill check the AC unit today when I get home from work.

what's the blend door? where can I find it?

Usually, the musty smell is due to the drain hose on the evaporator being plugged, so the water that condenses on the evaporator is trapped in there. Then, some dirt/leaves/junk gets in through the air intake, and you have a great place to grow mold, etc. Depending on how bad it is, you can take a piece of baling wire or similar and poke it up through the drain hose from under the truck, or you might have to take the housing apart and clean it.

If there is enough junk, it could be keeping the blend door from moving.

The a/c could just be low on refrigerant, which would cause it to not be as cold as it should be. Just go to your local Wally World and buy a a/c recharge kit, which needs to include the can of refrigerant and the hose/guage assembly. Put the gauge on the system and see if it has the pressure it needs, if not use the refrigerant to charge it up - its pretty straightforward.

You could clean out your vents some how and replace the cabin filter. Vehicles in a high humidity have this problem.

Is your truck originally from Arizona. My mom said she had this problem when she lived in the eastern part of the state, then it went away when she moved to western Kansas.

haha...I know nothing about AC units...Ill take your guys suggestions once I read through my manual...

seems easy to do all that stuff...guess more research about this can only make me better...

sorry to high jack this thread but how would be able to tell if I have a cabin filter?

how dare you hi-jack my thread...I hope your computer gets a virus...



just joking



same question...how the hell do I know if I have a cabin filter?

sorry to high jack this thread but how would be able to tell if I have a cabin filter?


You don't. They were never installed in the rangers.